This week’s Daily Post Writing Challenge is Image vs. Text. Link to the Challenge here. This is my contribution.

Sometimes our love is misplaced. We love what is bad for us, but makes us feel good. We love what hurts us, but also gives us pleasure. We love with our hearts, not our heads. We don’t think straight when it comes to this love. This love is irrational, irresponsible, and all-consuming. I’ve been there. I’ve been in love with It. You may be in love with It too.

It.

I know how addicting It can be. The taste of the sweet, cold liquid sliding down your throat on a hot afternoon . . . the rush of caffeine that will get you through your work day . . . the way the can feels in your hand as you pop the top. You can’t be near It and not want It.

It has been your go-to drink since college, when you’d bike over to the 7-11 at midnight and fill up a Super Big Gulp in anticipation of the all-night study session. You’ve been in love ever since. Nothing makes you happier than the four-twelve-packs-for-ten-bucks sale at Shoprite. On special occasions, you can almost smell the scent of It, dressed up with Cherry, Lemon, or Lime. There are days when you can actually hear It calling you. You rely on It. You need It.

But It is going to kill you. You know this deep down in your heart of hearts. As much as you need It, It is slowly eating you from the inside out. Your dependency. Your addiction. The bloating. The aspartame. As good as It feels going down, It is not healthy for you once It’s inside.

You.

You have to break up with It before It kills you.

You’ve tried many times to break away but your attempts have been disastrous, and you always drag your tired self back to your true love. It owns you. It completes you.

But don’t give in. You can break the habit and save yourself. Here’s how.

1. Decide to End the Affair.

This is the most difficult step. You’ll hear yourself say the words, “I can stop,” but you won’t feel the words in your heart. You’ll know that the first time things get crazy at work and you need a break, you will find yourself walking, head down, right back to that vending machine. You’ll get tired and you’ll hear It calling you: “I can help you. Come back to me.” You’ll have to fight urges and withdrawal symptoms throughout the day.

When you decide, once and for all, to end the relationship, you have to be strong. It will try to get you back. But remember, you are in control of you. It does not control you. The best way to counteract the urge is to repeat to yourself over and over: “I have to do what’s best for me. I have to take care of me. I can do this.” Take deep breaths. Remember your reasons for breaking up and be confident that you can succeed. Remember:

Just say no. Be strong!

2. Find a sponsor.

Enlist the help of a friend when you can’t resist on your own accord. Someone you can call and say, “I can’t do this. I need It. I want It.” And the friend will say, “No you don’t. It is trash. Do not go to It. Dig deep and power through!”

Hanging out with friends is a great way to stay away from It. A friend’s words can clear out the fog that inhabits your mind when It tries to get you back.

Get by with a little help from your friends

3. Get yourself out there.

You’ve made the decision to end the affair, and you have support in your mission to break off. Now is the time to get out there and see what else the world has to offer. After all, It is not the only drink in the vending machine. There are so many more natural options!

Go rebounding with a hot cup of coffee- the shot of caffeine and the warm, rich smell will grant you a reprieve from your cravings. You can try the Juice Family, too: Vitamin Water, Gatorade, Sunny D. The sugar alone will help you smile. You can experiment in the Water Family: bottled water, seltzer water, mineral water, lemon water. Whatever you need to do. It is not the only thing for you! There are so many healthier options.

Other options: Coffee . . .

Vitamin Water . . .

or Seltzer . . .

Don’t get me wrong. You’ll always love It. And you’ll miss It, mostly on special occasions like the family barbecue, or late-night at the diner. You will mourn your loss and you will sigh at the memories. You’ll see other people with It and be instantly envious that you aren’t the one pouring the delicious, bubbly liquid into that frosted glass. But if you don’t break your habit, and let It go, you’ll never discover the other wonderful, healthier things that the world has to offer.

Using these steps, I’ve ended my affair with It. You can too. Good luck!

I can quit anytime I want! It’s not that unhealthy for me anymore, I only indulge once a week or so, that’s okay, right, it means I’m not addicted to an unhealthy relationship. I mean it, I can quit anytime I want!! LOL – Loved this post!

There are so many better drinks than soda. Also, some people think they can drink ‘diet’ drinks because it has little to no calories. I hear some people get up in the morning and drink soda for breakfast! Then they bring soda to work and drink it with each meal. Any habit is hard to break, I guess. Good luck with yours. At least your not addicted to pain medication or some other vice that is truly hurtful to your body.

Thanks for the good luck! Yes, there are worse things to be addicted to. I really felt (feel) myself craving it around that 3:00 hour at work when I need a boost, or just a reason to walk away from my desk. Now I bring a liter bottle of flavored seltzer to work everyday, and it lasts me the whole day. I also have a cup of coffee in the morning. I’m trying to keep myself limited to one cup of coffee a day, though.

I too happen to be a coffee junkie with lots of ‘whipped cream’ in it. That is a hard habit to break, but right now, I have no reason to stop. I did smoke once,and I found that habit very hard to break. Nice post.

A few years ago I moved from Mountain Dew to Coffee… and a year ago I moved from Coffee-mate creamer to a more natural, less toxic coffee creamer. I recently found a locally made coffee that may not need creamer (or very little)… so that is also exciting! I think coffee creamer is my last thing to delete from my life that can be harmful to my body. I like wine, but I drink that in moderation which is just fine : )

Funny you mention that. I’m trying to wean myself off of Splenda in the coffee. I’m down to half a pack of Splenda per cup. I feel like Splenda is going to end up being the death of me. I think coffee is a way better option than Mountain Dew, even with the creamer, but a less toxic creamer is a great find.